Shaft-support.



No. 794,532. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. H. MORTON.

SHAFT SUPPORT.

APPLIOATION IPILED 1320.31. 1904.

NITED STATES Patented July 11 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SHAFT-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 794,532, dated July 11, 1905.

Application filed December 31, 1904:- $erial No. 239,176.

To all/ 10/1/0722, 1113 ULCLZ/ concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY MORTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Loveland, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shaft-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in shaft-supporters for vehicles; and it consists in a toothed segment adapted to be supported at some convenient point on the vehicle in connection with a bar pivoted to the segment, means for locking the bar at different inclinations to the segment, and an adjustable support carried by the bar.

My invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing myimproved shaft-support applied to a vehicle; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail.

A represents a bar which may be cast in asolid piece or be a solid piece of metal, or it may, and preferably does, consist of a strip of strap-iron folded or doubled in the center, whereby to form two members which extend parallel to each other. At one end the bar is pivoted to a bracket 1 by means of the pin 2. This bracket is approximately L-shaped, the bar being pivoted at the angle. The vertical portion of the bracket is provided with a pintle 3, by means of which it is held in a hole A in plate 5, secured to the bow-spring 6 of the vehicle. The other end of the bracket is in the form of a curved ratchet-toothed segment 7. A weighted lever 8 is pivoted at 9 to the bar in proximity to the bracket and provided with a dog 10 in position to engage the teeth of the segment. A handle 11 on the outer end of the lever is manipulated to swing the lever to unlock the dog from the segment when it is desired to lower the bar, the weight of the handle causing the dog to automatically lock into the teeth of the segment when the bar is raised. A stop 12 on the end of the bar limits its movement in one direction provided with pins or lugs 15 15 on each side of the bar, adapted'to clutch or gripthe'latter when the weight of the cross-barof the shafts rests upon the same. A stud 16 about mid way the length of the bar limits the sliding movement of the rest between it and the outer end of the bar.

In operation the bracket is inserted in the hole in the plate attached to the bow-spring, the bar being placed under the crossbar of the shafts with the lever beneath. The sliderest is then pushed out to the cross-bar of the shaft and the latter raised to the proper height, where they are sustained by means of the lever, the dog of which engages the teeth of the segment. To lower the shafts, the reverse operation takes place-that is to say, the lever is swung against the bar and the latter is lowered, when the support may be removed.

It is evident that slight changes may be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. A shaft-support comprising a bar adapted to be pivotally and adjustably connected with the front portion of the vehicle and a rest for the shafts adjustably connected with the bar.

2. The combination with a toothed segment, a pivot-ed bar, and means for locking the bar to the segment, of a rest adjustably connected with the bar.

3. The combination withatoothed segment, adapted to be detachably secured to a vehicle, of a bar pivoted thereto, a rest adjustably connected with the bar and means for locking the bar to the segment.

4. The combination with a vehicle-spring having a plate thereon With a hole in it, of a specification in the presence of two subscribbracket detachably supported in the hole and ing Witnesses. provided with a toothed segment, of a weighted hand-lever having a dog thereon for lock- HARRY MORrlON' 5 ing the bar on the segment, and a rest hav- Witnesses:

ing sliding adjustable connection with the bar. GEO. F. BAER,

In testimony whereof I have signed this C. W. WOOD. 

